Publicity includes stories and news about you and your company in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, on radio and TV. Here's what is good about publicity: It's FREE! It is believable. It gives you instant credibility and helps to establish the identity of your business. It gives you authority. People read it and remember it. In short, publicity works.

Publicity is not as easy as it appears. Public Relations experts have contact, experience, and the talent to get your name in print. If you have the funds to hire a professional, it is an excellent investment. However, you can succeed in securing media coverage if you follow some basic rules and are persistent.

Rule #1: It has to be news.

80% of the news is "planted", sent to the media by publicity firms. News is something that is of interest to people, with a "slant" or "hook" that looks at the big picture. Your new business or sale is not news. News is not an advertisement in disguise.

Rule #2: News is what the editor says is news.

Your first task is to send your press release to the right person. Do a little research to determine which papers and which editors will be interested in your story. Send your releases directly to the editor or writer who specializes in your field.

Rule #3: Learn to write an intelligent, interesting press release.

Press releases follow a fairly rigid format. Obtain a copy of a professionally written release and you'll see that they always tell the reader the name of the company, who to contact, the day and evening phone number, the city of origin, etc. They are always double spaced. The most important thing is that they get the facts out quickly, in the first paragraph. Be sure to get the "who, what, when, where, and how" in the release.

Rule #4: Contact is important.

Writers and editors get hundreds of releases a week. Your release is likely to be ignored if you do not follow up with a phone call. Always remain polite and helpful, never argue, no matter how news worthy you think your information may be. Remember, a "maybe" is a possible yes in this game, so work with the editor. Eventually, you may end up in print. Otherwise, a no is a no, so come back later or try someone else.

Rule #5: Be creative.

Publicity is the place to try your wings and be inventive. Team up with others in your industry, help a charity, publish some research, put forth a unique approach to solving a problem. Publicity is the place to get attention by standing out from the crowd.

A Few Tips

• Always hand address the envelopes to your media contacts.
• Use a snappy headline on your release.
• Tie yourself in with the news of the day, be "Today".
• Stage an event and publicize it.
• Include yourself as an "expert" with an appropriate quote, in an article about trends in your field.
• Contribute to your community and get the attention you deserve.
• Never bargain with an editor for coverage by saying you are an advertiser.
• Send interesting photos along with your release. Two people shaking hands, the well known "talking heads", is universally hated by all editors and is not interesting.
• When talking to small community newspapers, offer to write the article and don't be surprised when they print your release verbatim.
• TV requires that there is a "Happening", a visual event or someone to interview. When calling television, speak to the Assignment Editor.
• Don't tackle a press conference without professional help.
• Networking is a form of public relations, DO IT!

Unlike advertising, publicity is unpredictable. There are no guarantees and you may have to massage a story for quite a long time before it is accepted. You may get a call months after you sent out your release. But when you score a story in a newspaper or on TV, it is always a big thrill. And, those articles make great marketing tools for future use.